Alpha Reborn!



"Man, I've been bulking up since I was sucking on a bottle. Every muscle in my body is chiseled to perfection. If I hadn't awakened my soul plate, my folks would have pushed me into becoming a galactic soldier. Even after I became an awakened soul cultivator, they still think it's a big waste of my potential not to take that path. And yet, why is he still beating me in a battle of speed?" Enzo thought to himself as he struggled to keep up with Evan's lightning-fast movements.

Despite Enzo's best efforts, Evan was quickly getting farther away from him. The distance between them was increasing with each passing moment, leaving Enzo feeling disheartened and frustrated.

Meanwhile, Kian was focusing on conjuring the power of his skill crystal in an attempt to block Evan's escape route.

"By the power of my Abyssal Barrier Crystal and soul, let a fortress rise," Kian chanted as he fed his soul energy to his skill crystal.

"I set down the rules. None inside shall be allowed to exit it, but those outside of it shall face no hindrance entering it," he continued, pouring more energy into his crystal.

"Let this one will come into effect as I declare this area as my unholy ground," Kian finished.

Kian's skill crystal allowed him to create a defensive barrier, and with the passive of his defensive-type soul plate, he could mold the barrier as he pleased, even sacrificing some of its properties to strengthen others. 

If he had the soul energy to cover the cost, the power of his skill crystal would take form as per his will. 

Two-thirds of his soul energy dissipated as the power of his skill crystal manifested itself.

A massive dome-like barrier rippled into existence, enveloping Evan and the triplets inside. The barrier shimmered with a bluish hue, almost like a reflection of the water's surface on a moonlit night. Its surface was smooth and seamless, like a giant soap bubble that refused to pop, and Kian reinforced the barrier with the power of his magic staff, making it unbreakable.

Evan narrowed his eyes, fixating on the barrier with a ferocious glare. He drew back his arm, muscles bulging and veins surfacing beneath his skin as he gathered all his strength.

"Break!"

With a fierce battle cry, he launched his fist forward in a devastating punch that connected with a resounding reverberation.

Bam!

Shockwaves burst out as the barrier rippled and swayed, absorbing the impact with ease.

To Evan's dismay, the barrier remained unscathed, his strongest punch failing to damage it in the slightest.

"You're like a rat in a trap. There's no way out of this battle," came a menacing voice from behind.

Evan spun around to face Enzo, who stood with his arms crossed and held a javelin in his hand. Enzo's lips were twisted into a wicked smirk, his muscular frame exuding confidence.

"A rat caught in a trap, huh? I should say the same to you. Look around. It's just you and me here," Evan said with a smirk, his lips curling up into a twisted smile. His eyes glinted with malice as he glared at Enzo, who looked visibly unsettled by Evan's words. The smile on Evan's face grew wider, revealing his pearly white teeth as he savored the fear in Enzo's eyes.

"You are empty-handed. How are you planning on fighting against me?" Enzo gulped down his fears and snorted.

"With my trusty magic sword, of course!" In one swift motion, Evan pulled out his magic sword from his inventory, but to Enzo, it seemed like he had pulled it out of thin air.

Seeing this, Enzo was obviously shocked, his eyes widening to the size of saucers. "How did you pull that out? Your soul pockets are supposed to be sealed. You shouldn't have the ability to interact with your spatial ring," he blurted out in disbelief.

"What good would that knowledge be to a dead man?!" Evan retorted.

Without a moment's hesitation, Evan charged towards Enzo, wielding his sword. Enzo nimbly sidestepped Evan's attack and retaliated with a series of swift blows. Evan skillfully parried each strike with his sword.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

They weaved in and out of each other's paths, their weapons colliding with a loud clang that reverberated in the air, igniting sparks as they struck with great force. They fought with fierce determination, each blow being met with an equally powerful retaliation.

It seemed that they were evenly matched, but the reality of the situation was that Evan was simply luring Enzo into a false sense of security. While Enzo believed he was doing a good job at holding his own, Evan was carefully analyzing his opponent's every move, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.

When the opportunity finally presented itself, Evan seized it like a tiger pouncing on its prey. 

He put his full force behind his sword as he swung it towards Enzo, whose javelin met it in a loud clash. 

Clang!

Enzo's palms shook from the impact as his weapon was sent flying from his grasp, and he stumbled backward in shock.

Evan's sudden surge of strength caught Enzo off guard, and he was shocked.

"You've been holding back," Enzo accused.

"It was all part of the plan to catch you off guard," Evan replied, "Now that you're disarmed, you're at my mercy."

"Not necessarily," Enzo said as he charged at Evan with a punch.

In the eyes of a player, such attacks were ridiculously easy to dodge. A slight shift in one's figure was more than enough. Evan tilted his neck, and Enzo's fist missed its mark. The wind from the punch raised Evan's hair on edge, and he dodged it by a hair's breadth. With a quick flick of his wrist, Evan brandished his sword, aiming to cut Enzo's head off. The attack was launched from an extremely close range, and Evan felt confident that he had won.

But his expectations shattered as Enzo suddenly disappeared in a puff of smoke, and in his place appeared a fat insect that was quickly dispatched by Evan's swift sword strike.

[Ding!]

[Congratulations Player Evan for killing a low-level poisonous Beetle. You have gained +1 EXP!]

He had obtained the last EXP he needed to level up!